


The Revival Job

by Spacecadet72



Category: Forever (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Heist AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-03
Updated: 2016-08-03
Packaged: 2018-07-28 19:48:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7654366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacecadet72/pseuds/Spacecadet72
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joanna Reece and her team of con artists are after a rare art piece in the hands of a man known only as 'Adam'. It looks like it will be a straight forward job until their backer, Henry Morgan--who seems to have a history with the mark--gets involved and things start to get complicated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Revival Job

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe this is actually finished. I started this a year or so ago for one of the Forever ficathons, and just never finished it. I'm really happy with how this turned out, and love that I can finally cross this off the list. 
> 
> Thank you to [ArgylePirateWD](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgylePirateWD) for the fantastic cover art! (Seriously, it's amazing and I love it so much.)

Jo Martinez sat on a bench at the edge of the park. She had picked one far from the play area and picnic tables. She pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket and glanced at the screen. 3:19. She still had ten minutes to wait, but she’d come early on purpose, wanting to pick the best spot to meet.

It also gave her a few extra minutes to look over the photos she’d been sent again.

She scrolled through the images on her phone, ten in all, looking at them all more than once. They all focused on one man: white, dark hair, average build and always wearing the same long black coat and newsboy cap. He was often meeting with others, but a few of the shots were of him alone.

Jo didn’t look up until she saw someone out of the corner of her eye approach the bench and sit down. She set her phone down and looked at her new companion.

“Reece.”

“Jo.”

Jo waited for Reece to say something. The silence stretched on, and Jo broke it after a few moments.

“What’s the job?”

“Do you remember that lead that I told you about a few months ago?”

Jo looked away, trying to remember the specific conversation. There had been several jobs and leads in the last few months, she could be talking about any--wait.

“You’re kidding, they found them?”

Reece nodded.

“My sources tell me that he has them and is going to sell them to the highest bidder in a month,” she said, gesturing at Jo’s phone with a slight tilt of her head.

Jo picked her phone up, looking at the photo again.

“Who is he?”

“He’s deals in difficult to acquire artifacts. Usually incredibly valuable or dangerous. Goes by the name ‘Adam’.”

Jo nodded, taking in the new information. She had heard of him, but never seen a picture before.

“Do we know where the sales are taking place?” Jo asked, hoping for a more interesting location that the last job. She could have done without the six weeks in Wisconsin.

“Vegas. He’ll be staying at the Bellagio.”

Jo nodded again. Definitely better than Wisconsin.

“A month isn’t very long.” Jo said, setting her phone down again, her tone light and casual.

“It’s not. Is that going to be a problem?”

Jo shook her head and turned to face the large play field across from them. It was a beautiful day and the park was full of families enjoying the weather before it cooled down in the next month.

“Who do you think we should get?” Reece asked, her voice a low murmur as they both watched a father and son try to get their kite in the air.

Jo hummed thoughtfully for a moment before answering.

“We won’t need a large crew. Molly for sure. We’ll need a grifter and while I can do decent work when needed, she’s the best. There’s a thief I’d like to bring in. She’s young, but if the reports I’m hearing are at all accurate, we’ll want her. Mike can be our inside man. He’ll grumble about it, but he owes me a favor and we can trust him.” Jo paused, as she and Reece watched the father with the kite almost get hit in the face with it. “And of course, we’ll need the boys.”

Reece, who had been silent through everything else, made a noise of acknowledgement, but said nothing.

Jo grinned. “The boys” were Henry and Abe Morgan, their backer and acquisitioner, respectively. Despite the shared last name, they weren’t related, but they treated each other like family. Reece acted annoyed with their antics most of the time, but Jo knew she was fond of them. They were a part of the team and Reece watched out for her own.

“Alright, bring them in. We’ll meet with everyone next week to go over the particulars. Keep me posted if there are any snags.”

With that, Reece stood up, nodded at Jo and walked back down the path the way she came.

Jo stayed for a while, and watched the kite float through the air.

 

* * *

 

A painting on the wall to her right caught Jo’s eye as she sat down in one of the plush chairs in the tastefully decorated waiting room. It must have been acquired recently; she hadn’t noticed it the last time she’d been there. It was of a naked woman in motion, as if running or dancing. There was a dark strip of fabric at her feet and she was holding a white sheet of fabric in her hand. If Jo tilted her head and squinted real hard, she could maybe see the appeal, but then Jo had never been one for appreciating fine art apart from what it was worth.

“It’s a Botticelli. One of his less known works. I picked it up last week in Nice.”

Jo turned her head at the voice. Molly Dawes stood at the edge of the waiting room. She was wearing a dark blue wrap dress, something that could be easily removed if needed. Jo guessed she had seen a client recently.

“Art auction?” Jo asked, her smile large, and sly.

“Something like that.”

Molly gestured for her to follow her back into her office.

“Are you here for an appointment?” Molly asked, one eyebrow quirked as she settled into the chair behind her desk.

Jo glanced at the curtain at the right edge of the room, currently closed, that housed all of Molly’s toys. Molly--or Iona Payne as her clients knew her--was a domination therapist. She could keep a fairly flexible schedule and the high rates her clients paid, along with the jobs she ran on the side, kept her in lavish comfort.

“Not today. I’m here about a job.”

“What is it?” she asked, relaxing further into her chair.

Jo pulled a photograph out of her pocket and handed it to Molly.

“Somebody found them and plans to sell them. Reece thinks we should relieve him of them first.”

Molly picked up the picture, all signs of her leisurely air falling away as she looked first at the photo and then at Jo, her eyebrows raised and eyes wide.

“How do we know it’s for real?”

“Reece has her sources. They’ve never been wrong.”

Molly shook her head slowly, her focus back on the photo in her hands.

“Well, I’m definitely in. When’s the job?”

“A month.”

Molly handed the picture back.

“We better get started then,” she said with a smirk.

“We’re having a meeting at the usual place, Friday at 7. I’ll see you there.”

 

* * *

 

Jo walked through the subway station, moving purposefully between the crowds of people traveling from one place to another.

“I’m sorry!”

A young woman--probably a college student given the torn jeans and sweater, the blonde hair in a messy bun and the backpack hanging from one shoulder--apologized as she bumped into Jo.

The girl moved on quickly, as did Jo. The platform was crowded and they both had places they needed to be.

Jo walked a little further down the platform before glancing behind her. When she saw what she was looking for, she smiled and stepped into the open car in front of her.

She stayed on for three more stops, playing a game on her phone as she sat, having miraculously found an open seat.

Once she exited the subway car, she headed towards the exit. She could see Central Park, but her focus was on the young woman ducking down the side street just ahead of them.

Jo followed her, making sure to keep just far enough back that she wouldn’t spook her.

“Nice lift,” Jo said once she had reached the girl partway down the side street.

“What are you talking about?” the girl asked, looking at Jo like she had just grown a second head. She walked faster, her head down.

Jo grinned inwardly. She’d known she was making the right call on this one. She moved in front of the girl, blocking her way.

“I know you snagged my wallet,” she said, her arms crossed. Her tone became less firm and more admiring as she continued. “I almost didn’t notice. I definitely wouldn’t have noticed if I wasn’t watching for it. Nicely done.”

The girl looked wary, and ready to bolt. “Are you a cop?”

Jo shook her head. “Not quite.”

Jo reached into her pocket and pulled out a small business card with only an address on it.

“I’ve got a job for you if you want it,” she said as she handed the card to the girl.

“Be there, Friday at 7 if you’re interested.”

The girl looked at the card with curiosity, and Jo knew they had her.

“What kind of job?”

“Trust me, you’ll want to be there. Friday at 7.” Jo said before turning around and walking away. Just as she was about to walk out of view, she turned her head to call out, “You can keep the wallet.”

 

* * *

 

Friday at 7 came quickly. Molly arrived early, as Jo had known she would, and with herself and Reece already there, they only had to wait to see if the kid would show.

“Do you think she’ll come?” Molly asked from her spot in a wingback chair in the corner.

“I think she will,” Jo said as she glanced at the clock. 6:56. They had four minutes to find out.

Jo looked out the half open blinds of the window. They were gathered in a small office in the city. Reece owned it under a shell company. This wasn’t their only property, but it came in handy for meetings with marks--or potential crew members.

A flash of movement caught Jo’s eye. Abigail was walking up to the door, her head down, shoulders hunched so she looked as small and inconspicuous as possible. She was dressed a little more nicely than when she and Jo had last spoken, but her clothes were still nondescript: dark jacket and pants, and shoes she could run in, if necessary.

Jo glanced back up at the clock as she moved towards the door. 6:59. She was right on time.

Jo opened the door on the first knock.

“I wasn’t sure you were going to come,” Jo said, with a smile, opening the door wide and stepping aside to let Abigail in. “I’m glad you could make it.”

“I wasn’t sure I was going to come either, but I couldn’t help being curious. Besides,” she said as she looked around the room at the small group assembled, “You guys have somewhat of a reputation, in the business. I couldn’t pass up that opportunity.”

“We’re glad you accepted our offer,” Reece said from across the room, “but know that once we start, there’s no going back. You are in. This is your last chance to walk away.” Reece kept her eyes trained on Abigail, and Jo knew exactly how it felt to be on the receiving end of that look.

Abigail simply straightened and kept eye contact. After a few moments, she sat down without taking her eyes off of Reece. “I’m in. What’s the job?”

Reece handed Abigail a glossy photo, one that had already been given to Jo and Molly. The photo was of three exquisitely decorated eggs. They were detailed and varied in their design: one a deep green with gold accent, the egg set on a tiny chariot pulled by two golden deer. One was bright red in the shape of a heart on a tall stand decorated in red and gold designs. The third egg was white with deep blue and gold accents, with both the egg and base ornately decorated, with gold lions holding up the egg and a small white elephant on top.

“Do you know what you’re looking at?” Reece asked evenly, her arms folded in front of her.

Abigail gaped first at the photo and then up at Reece. “Of course I do. These are three of the missing Fabergé eggs. Are you telling me we’re going after _the_ Fabergé eggs? Someone found them?”

Reece nodded. “My sources tell me that a man known only as Adam has found three of the eggs and plans to sell them to the highest bidder in just over three weeks.”

Reece handed pictures of Adam to Molly and Abigail. It was the best picture they had of him, with his face turned clearly to the camera, even if the quality was a little grainy.

“He will sell the eggs while he’s in Vegas at the end of the month. We’re going to intercept them and trade out the real eggs for fake ones.”

Abigail’s eyes widened at that. “These are incredibly detailed. How are we going to get passable fakes in that kind of time?”

“They don’t have to be perfect, they just have to pass inspection long enough for us to get away.”

“Even passable won’t be easy,” Abigail said, looking back at the photograph.

“We have some experts in antiques who will help with that part of the job,” Reece said, putting an end to that line of questioning. Abigail nodded.

Reece turned to Jo.

“Jo, tomorrow, I want you to go talk to Henry and Abe about what we’ll need. We don’t have much time for this, so we need to get started immediately. Take Abigail with you.”

 

* * *

 

Jo led Abigail to an antique shop early the next morning. The large windows showed off the collection of furniture and knick knacks inside. It looked like every other antique shop in the city, and if Jo hadn’t known who owned it, she would have walked right past without a second glance.

The bell above the door jingled as they walked inside. A handsome man, dressed in a tailored suit looked up at the sound.

“Hello, Henry,” Jo said.

"Jo." Henry greeted, a note of happy surprise in his voice. "To what do I owe..." He trailed off as his gaze fell on Abigail. "...the pleasure?" He finished after a moment, his tone soft and awed.

Abigail smiled back, her attraction to him just as clear as his.

Jo grinned at the display, glad that she'd brought Abigail along. Henry could use someone like her, caring and loyal but not willing to take anyone's shit.

"Henry, this is Abigail Rayne. Abigail, this is Henry Morgan," she introduced, stepping back as they shook hands, their touch lingering a beat or two longer than necessary.

"Abigail's new to the team."

"Abigail," Henry repeated, still looking awestruck. "It's wonderful to meet you."

"And you." Abigail murmured back, her eyes never leaving his.

Jo shifted next to them, and the movement brought them back.

Henry straightened and put on a more professional air as he turned his attention back to Jo. His smile was large, but Jo ignored the opportunity to tease him about it. She suspected she would have plenty of time for that later.

"You're here on a job, I take it?"

Jo nodded. "It's a big one."

The bell jingled above the door as a middle aged couple walked into the shop.

Abe stepped out from the back room at the noise and smiled at Jo before introducing himself to his customers.

"Why don't we take this somewhere more private?" Henry suggested gesturing his head away from where Abe was showing the couple a large credenza from the 1950s.

Henry took them to the apartment above the shop where he and Abe were roommates. He gestured for them to take a seat once they were in the living room.

“What’s the job?” he asked, taking a seat in a chair across from them.

Jo pulled the picture of the eggs out of her jacket pocket and handed it to Henry. “We’re going after these.”

“The lost Fabergé eggs? Who has them?” Henry asked, his eyebrows raised as he took the picture from her.

“He’s known as Adam,” Jo said. “There’s a short window in a few weeks where we can get them from him, but--what is it?”

Henry’s face paled when she said Adam’s name, and his hand trembled slightly as he held the photo of the eggs.

He shook his head.

“It’s nothing,” he said, forcing a smile. “Do you know what you’ll need for the job? I’m sure Abe and I will be able to get everything for you in time.”

Jo frowned at the obvious lie. He still looked shaken, but she knew she wasn’t going to get anything out of him now. Even if she could, it would take some time, and Reece was expecting them back that afternoon.

She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket. “This is everything we’re going to need,” she said, and handed it over to him.

He looked relieved that she wasn’t pressing him for details and looked over the list. She would let it go for now, but this wasn’t something he would be able to keep from her forever.

 

* * *

 

Henry looked up at the sound of Jo’s footsteps as she walked into his living room later that evening. He put down the book he had been reading, a smile lighting up his face as he stood.

“I hadn’t expected to see you so soon, Jo. Are there items you need to add to your list?”

Jo shook her head. “That’s not why I’m here.”

Henry looked at her expectantly, his smile falling only slightly at her serious expression.

“What’s your connection to Adam?”

He didn’t drop his gaze like she thought he might. He simply stared back at her, his expression too blank, too carefully guarded. “I don’t know what you’re referring to, Jo. I’ve never met him.”

Jo scowled. “Bullshit. There’s clearly some sort of history there or you wouldn’t have reacted the way you did when I said his name.”

“I told you, it’s nothing,” Henry said, his hands slipping into his pockets as he continued to look at her with that frustratingly innocent expression.

Jo stared him down, but when he simply met her gaze, she sighed. “I know that’s not the end of it. You can trust me, you know.”

“Jo…” he began, looking very tired all of a sudden.

“How long have we known each other, Henry? How many jobs have we worked together?”

Henry said nothing, for a moment, as he shifted his gaze to the floor. When he looked back up at her again, Jo knew she wasn’t going to get anywhere. Not like this. “I told you, Jo. There’s nothing to tell.”

Jo shook her head. “You don’t have to tell me, Henry, but if this is going to interfere with the job, you need to tell someone. I don’t want to be blindsided by this.”

“Jo, it’s nothing.”

Jo stared at him for a minute, wondering if he’d break if she stayed silent long enough. He simply stared back.

She sighed. “Okay. But there’s something you’re not telling me, and if you see something coming that will hurt the team, you need to tell someone. It doesn’t have to be me, although I’m always here to listen. I bet Abigail would be too,” Jo smiled at the last part, already accepting that she wasn’t going to get any answers tonight.

He held her gaze for several beats. “As I said before, Jo, it’s nothing, but I appreciate the concern.”

Jo’s lips twisted up into a half smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Henry.”

 

* * *

 

Neither she or Henry brought up their conversation after that, but every once in awhile she would catch him looking at her, and the guilt on his face made her stomach clench in anticipation of what his secret could bring.

But she’d known Henry a long time, and he’d never once betrayed them. If he said it was nothing--even if she knew that was a complete and total lie--she would trust him. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t keep her eyes wide open on this job.

She didn’t have much time to sit around worrying, though. They spent the next two weeks going over plans and preparations, making sure they’d be ready at the end of the month. The days sped by, and Jo thought time must be going by faster than normal. It’s not even like they hadn’t pulled off cons in less time. They had, and pulled them off well, but for some reason there was more pressure, more at stake with this one. Jo didn’t have time for any worry that wasn’t productive, so she pushed it to the back of her mind. However, she couldn’t stop it from hovering there, under a thin veil of productivity and fatigue.

The plan was relatively simple, even if the execution would take all of their combined skills and talents. Their man on the inside, Mike Hanson--a security guard at the Bellagio who owed Jo more than just one favor--had provided them with all the blueprints they could need, and they already had their own rooms booked for the event itself.

Through Reece’s sources, they knew where and when the sale would go down. Adam would only get into Vegas the day before the sale, and getting the eggs on the way to or at the sale would be too difficult, which gave them them a very limited window.

Jo was over at the shop a few days before their flight, picking up the last egg that Henry and Abe had just finished, and her confidence in their ability to pull this off was strengthened as she handled the egg. It really was amazing work. She wasn’t sure that she would be able to tell it was a fake if she didn’t know. She certainly wouldn’t be able to tell without careful examination.

“I think I should go on this one with you,” Henry said quietly.

Jo looked up at him, one eyebrow quirked in surprise. “You don’t normally go with us on jobs.”

“I know, and I’m usually not needed,” he said, with a shrug that was just this side of too casual, “but with the intricacies on these fakes, I would feel more comfortable being on site in case anything needed to be adjusted.”

His tone was even, and Jo had to admit that his argument was valid, but she had a feeling that wasn’t what this was about. It would be good to have in on hand in case anything went wrong, but they didn’t really need him on site after the preparations were done.

“And that’s the only reason?” she asked carefully, feeling her earlier worry move to the forefront, as something heavy and cold began to form in the pit of her stomach.

Henry looked up, his expression carefully neutral and innocent. “You don’t think it’s a good idea?”

“I didn’t say that,” Jo said slowly. “We could use you, but Henry, please tell me you aren’t coming because you have history with the mark.”

Henry shook his head. “I told you I don’t have history with him, Jo.”

Jo simply looked at him.

Henry sighed. “I had thought it might be nice to spend more time with the team. The last job was a while ago, and this one has been so rushed.”

Jo furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Henry had been working with the team for a long time, and she knew that he cared about them, but she had always felt as if he was holding something back. She would be happy to know him better, but something didn’t quite fit.

Although, Henry had been coming around more often during this job. Jo had thought it was due to the fact that the fakes were so detailed, but now that she thought about it...

“If you wanted to spend more time with a certain pickpocket, you could just ask her out, you know.”

Henry’s eyes don’t meet hers as he answered with a careful, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jo.”

Jo laughed. “You are a terrible liar. Just ask her out to dinner. I have a feeling she’ll say yes.”

Henry said nothing, and Jo just smiled, turning her attention back to the egg.

Later, once she was back with the rest of the team, just about ready to call it a night and order some takeout from the one restaurant they could all agree on, Abigail walked over to her. Her smile was subdued, and she looked as tired as the rest of them, but there was a secret happiness and energy simmering just beneath the surface.

“I was thinking about heading out. It doesn’t look like there’s much else that can be done tonight. We’re just about ready.”

“You and me both,” Jo said, glancing at her watch. “I was going to order something in, if you wanted to stay for a bit.”

Abigail shook her head, her smile growing. “I actually already have plans.”

“He finally made a move, huh?” Jo said, leaning back against the table, with a grin. She’d known her her hints to Henry hadn’t been for nothing.

Abigail nodded. “He asked if I wanted to get a late dinner.”

“You don’t need to ask my permission, but yeah, we’re about done here for the night. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she said as Abigail pulled on her jacket.

“Is that list actually very long?” Abigail asked with a teasing grin.

Jo shook her head. “Well, it’s longer than Molly’s, but she’s braver than I am.”

Abigail laughed and waved as she walked out.

Jo was happy for them, but couldn’t help wondering if the sudden anxiety she felt at knowing Henry would be with them in Vegas was justified.

 

* * *

 

They met near the baggage claim at McCarran International Airport, having booked separate seats. Jo’s duffle bag came around the conveyor belt and she rolled her eyes at the sight of Henry’s dark brown and clearly antique hard-shell suitcase. Even Abe used more modern black luggage, and he was in his seventies.

“I know that look,” Henry said with a smile as he and Abigail walked up and he leaned past Jo to grab his suitcase.

“Just looking at your old man luggage,” Jo said, her grin wide and teasing. “I’m sure you’ve already discovered this,” she said, turning to Abigail, “but Henry lives the antique business.”

Abigail grinned back. “Oh, I’ve noticed. I think most of his belongings are older than Abe.”

Henry huffed out a laugh. “They are. Abe says it keeps him feeling young.”

“It’s true,” Abe said as he came up from behind them and grabbed his own suitcase as it came around the carousel. “Hard to feel old with this old man around,” he said clapping a hand on Henry’s shoulder.

Henry shook his head in affectionate frustration. “There is nothing wrong with enjoying things from the past. Many antiques have survived because they are well made. I don’t need something new when something old still works perfectly fine.”

“Thanks for the advice, _dad_ ,” Abe said with a roll of his eyes.

Jo and Abigail laughed. Henry scowled at Abe, but the slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth gave him away.

“Come on, Reece wants to meet with us once we’ve settled in at the hotel,” Jo said, heading away from the baggage claim.

“Does Reece need Henry and I at that meeting?” Abe asked as they all followed Jo away from the baggage claim. “I’ve heard wonders about the in house masseuse…”

 

* * *

 

They gathered early the next afternoon in Reece’s room, which would act as their base of operations for the con. Their meeting with Reece the night before had been brief. They all knew the plan backwards and forwards by now. Jo couldn’t help but smile as Henry and Abigail, the last to arrive, walked into the room together. Jo’s smile fell away into a more serious expression as Reece cleared her throat.

“I think we all know the plan by now,” she said as they all nodded, “but just to make sure we’re all clear, we need to get the eggs before the meet tonight. Adam will be keeping them in his room until then. He’s staying in room 1702. Abigail, you’ll get his keycard when he goes to dinner, and slip the card to Molly. Molly, you’ll get his guard out of the room once you have the key.”

Everyone nodded as Reece spoke. They had heard the rundown before, knew the plan, but Reece liked to go over everything one last time on the day of. Jo didn’t mind, but even she was only listening with half an ear as Reece went over the plan one last time.

“Molly will get the key back to Abigail as she’s leaving with the guard, and Abigail will make the switch. Jo will be running the computers with me, to make sure that the hotel security doesn’t see anything that would cause them any concern and Henry and Abe will be on standby just in case anything needs to be fixed with the eggs. His reservation in the hotel restaurant is at 7 PM, so let’s be ready to go by 5. Alright,” she said, looking at all of them. “I know at least some of you have plans until then, so you’re dismissed.”

By quarter to seven, they were all ready to go, everyone in position. Reece and Jo were in Reece’s room watching through the security cameras that Jo had hacked earlier that morning. Henry and Abe were on standby in their room, although at this point, their presence was just a formality. Abigail and Molly were in their places, in the lobby and down the hall from Adam’s room respectively, and all they had to do now, was wait.

At five to seven, Molly’s voice came through the earpiece. “He’s heading down to the lobby.”

Jo could see her on the security cam, down the hall from Adam’s room, her head tilted back in a laugh as she pretended to talk on the phone. Her gold dress sparkled in the light as she moved, and naturally caught the eye, even in Vegas. That combined with Molly’s dangerously inviting smile and husky voice, and her marks never stood a chance.

“That’s your cue, Abigail,” Reece said. They could both see Abigail nod from her place in the hotel lobby.

Unlike Molly’s dress, Abigail’s outfit was plain and while flattering, the simple tan trench coat over a black knee length dress didn’t call any attention to its wearer. Abigail fiddled with the glasses she had slipped on, and pretended to type out a text while she waited.

Jo and Reece watched Adam get out of the elevator across from where Abigail was standing, between him and the hotel restaurant.

Abigail scowled, and her lips moved slightly, as if she was muttering under her breath. She dialed a number on her phone and put it to her ear, her frown deepening.

“Where are you?” she said, bringing her left arm up to cross under her right as she spoke. “We said 6:30, and it’s almost 7.” She let out a sigh, and her left arm dropped with her shoulders. She began walking across the lobby. “That excuse again? How can you have work to do while we’re on vacation?” she paused, as if listening for a reply, and barked out a frustrated laugh. “Don’t give me that, what’s her name this time?”

Adam was walking directly in her path, and her voice raised an octave just before she bumped into him.

“I can’t believe I thought it was going to be different this time--sorry,” she said quickly as she moved past him. “No, you don’t get another chance after this, Johnny. This is the fifth time! That I know about.”

Jo and Reece caught sight of a small, white keycard in Abigail’s hand before she slipped it into her pocket. She continued shouting into her phone as she entered the elevator.

“She’s good.” Reece said, with a smile. Jo said nothing, but smiled back. She’d known Abigail would be a good fit for the team and she was pleased to know she’d been right.

“Alright, Molly, you’re up.”

Molly put her phone in her purse before walking down the hallway to Adam’s room. Abigail walked out of the elevator a moment later, and slipped the keycard to Molly as they passed in the hallway.

Molly opened the door and stopped in surprise at the man in a simple suit sitting in a chair on the other side of it. There were no cameras in the room, so they could only see what little was visible through the door from the hall camera and hear what was being said through Molly’s comm.

“Who are you?” Molly demanded from the doorway.

The man stood up, and scowled back at her. “Who are you? How did you get in here?”

Molly held the keycard up and waved it back and forth. “With the key. I was supposed to be meeting someone here. They gave me their room card.”

“I don’t know how they got that card, but this isn’t their room, sweetheart.” The man said, walking to the door. He put his hand on the edge and moved as if to close it.

Molly leaned against the door jam, her leg in the way of the door. She looked up at the man, who was at least a head taller than her, even in her heels, and even though they couldn’t see it, Jo knew that the man was getting the full dose of Molly’s charm.

“You are tall,” she murmured, and moved to rest her hand on his arm. “Like I said before, I was supposed to be meeting someone, but since they’re not here, why don’t we go get a drink?”

The man shook his head. “Maybe next time, sweetheart.”

“Are you sure?” Molly asked, tilting her head up at him, and moving her hand up and down his arm. “It’s just one drink.”

The guard seemed to be having an internal argument about whether to go, when Molly shifted positions slightly, bringing his attention to her legs. They had him.

“Just one drink couldn’t hurt, could it?” he asked, almost to himself before looking down the hallway once, and following Molly out the door.

Molly laughed at something the man had said as they walked towards the elevator. Without taking her attention off of the man, she slipped the keycard back to Abigail who was walking in the opposite direction. Once Abigail had the keycard, she grabbed a briefcase from just around the corner. She carried the briefcase with the fake eggs in one hand, and fiddled with the keycard in the other.

Abigail pushed the keycard into the slot and opened the door.

“I don’t see them yet,” Abigail said, “but they have to be here somewhere.”

All was quiet as Abigail searched the room. Not being able to see into the room was killing Jo. She knew Abigail was capable and would let them know anything important, but she hated just sitting here and waiting.

“I’m not seeing it anywhere,” Abigail said some minutes later, worry creeping into her voice.

“It has to be there,” Reece said, with calm authority. “We know he brought the eggs into the hotel, so they’re in there somewhere. Keep looking.”

Several minutes passed without a word, and Jo wished she were in the room with Abigail. She was about to suggest to Reece that she go down and join in the search when something caught her eye on the monitor. Adam pulled out his cellphone, and made a call. Jo wondered briefly who he was calling. Was it his buyer?

Abigail’s voice broke through her thoughts.

“Guys, the guard forgot his phone here and it’s ringing.”

Jo looked back at the monitor. Adam was still on the phone, but he wasn’t speaking and his frown only deepened as the seconds ticked on. Finally, with a scowl, he hung up, and put the phone back in his pocket before standing up and leaving the restaurant.

“Abigail, get out of there, you need to get out of there now,” Jo said as she rose from her chair. She couldn’t get Abigail out of there herself, but she couldn’t just sit here and wait to see if she got caught either.

“I don’t have it yet,” Abigail said, her voice low and hushed.

“Adam’s coming back to the room. Leave it and get out of there.”

Jo watched as Adam walked across the lobby and stepped into a waiting elevator.

The door to Adam’s hotel room opened a few moments later, and Abigail walked out and around the corner. Only a moment or two after that, the elevator opened and Adam stepped out, with a perfect view to his now closed door.

Abigail, her hair now down and her coat and glasses off, moved quickly down the hall towards Adam, her attention on her phone. She slipped the keycard back into his pocket as she passed by, not giving him a second look.

Adam pulled the keycard out of his pocket and he entered the room.

Reece sighed. “Everyone back to my room now.”

They all gathered in Reece’s room ten minutes later.

“Is the job scrapped?” Abigail asked.

Reece sighed. “It might be. That was our one window. He’s meeting the seller tonight, I’m not sure we can pull off the switch before then. No matter how good Molly is, she’s not getting his guard back out of that room a second time.” Adam was still in his room, and they had no way of knowing when he would be back out.

“We can’t get to them while they’re in transit, and making the switch at the hotel is a bust,” Jo said from where she leaned against the wall across from the couch.

“That only leaves the meet. Adam will get there before his buyer does,” Henry said. “That could be our new window of opportunity.”

Reece shook her head. “That’s too risky. It’s too small of a window to pull it off, not to mention that Adam won’t let those eggs out of his hands unless he’s trading them for money.”

“There could be a way,” Henry insisted. “If we just try--”

“Enough.” Reece fixed Henry with a stare. “It’s too risky. Sometimes jobs fall through. We’ll have more success next time.”

Henry said nothing, but he was clearly unhappy with Reece’s decision.

“We’ll go home tomorrow as planned. Be ready to head to the airport tomorrow, but until then, your time is your own.”

Abe, Henry and Abigail all left the room without another word, their expressions disappointed.

Molly stood up. “I’m going to go change out of this dress, but I’m betting you two are needing a drink as much as I am.”

Reece gestured to a bottle of wine sitting on the far table across the room. “I had hoped to save it for when we pulled off the job, but now is as good a time as any. Come back here when you’re done.”

Molly nodded and and left the room.

“There was no way you could have seen that coming,” Jo said with a sigh.

“You’re right, but that almost makes it worse.”

Molly came back a little while later and she and Jo sat in a heavy silence as Reece pulled out three glasses and poured wine into each of them. She handed Jo and Molly their glasses and leaned back in her chair.

This wasn’t the first job they’d had to abandon, but it had been the biggest of the ones to fall through, and it stung to know they had been that close for it all to just fall apart.

“We can’t win them all,” Reece said with a sigh before taking a drink.

“I really thought we had this one, though,” Jo said with a slow shake of her head.

Molly nodded, but nursed her drink in silence.

“There will always be another job, and we’ll get it next time.”

“And we know the eggs are out there now. Maybe we’ll get another chance,” Jo said with a half hearted shrug.

Molly nodded again, and they all drank quietly, lost in their own thoughts.

“Can you imagine if we had gotten them, though?” Molly asked after several moments, her eyes bright. “They’ve been missing for years. I half thought it was a myth that they were actually still around. Like Anastasia,” she said, her mouth curving up into a half smile.

“Maybe they weren’t real. Like Anastasia. Maybe it was all one big con and we got played too.”

Reece shook her head. “No, they were real. That I do know.”

Neither Molly or Jo questioned it. Reece had more sources than most, some Jo didn’t even know about, and if she was that certain, it had to be true. They drank for a while in silence, all of them lost in their own thoughts, going over the job and where they could have done something differently.

The door opened after a while, and they all looked up as Abigail walked into the room.

“Have you seen Henry?” she asked, her expression worried.

Jo glanced at the others, who both shook their heads. “We haven’t seen him since the job fell apart. Is he with Abe?”

“Abe hasn’t seen him and he’s not in his room either. We were supposed to get dinner, but he never showed.”

“Dammit,” Jo said, setting her glass down and getting to her feet. “He’s going after the eggs.”

“By himself? There’s no way he can pull that off,” Abigail said, but she didn’t sound surprised at Jo’s pronouncement.

“As if Henry would let something like common sense stop him when he thought he was right,” Jo said with an eyeroll.

Reece sighed, and set down her glass. “I guess we better go rescue him.”

 

* * *

 

The sale was scheduled for later that night, just outside an empty warehouse on the outskirts of the city. Reece pulled the car into a hidden spot a few warehouses down. They had just been able to make the meet time, and were hoping they could get Henry out without Adam knowing they had been there.

Reece turned the car off and turned to Abigail. “Alright, go scope out the meet spot and let us know if you see Henry. Once we know what we’re walking into, we’ll make a plan.”

Abigail nodded. She had changed into dark, loose fitting clothing, and pulled her hood up. She got out of the car and in moments was out of their view.

There was silence on the comms for the next few minutes as Abigail made her way to the right warehouse.

“Do you see him?” Reece asked after enough time had passed for Abigail to get to the right spot.

“I don’t see anybody,” Abigail said, her voice low. “I’m in the right spot, and they should be here by now, but there isn’t sign of Adam or Henry.”

Reece cursed under her breath. “Okay, get back to the car, and then we’ll figure out how to fix this mess.”

“How are we supposed to find him?” Abigail asked as she slipped back into the car several minutes later.

“If he had a phone, we could track it, but of course, Henry hates them,” Jo said in frustration.

Abigail looked up, her eyes wide.

“He has my phone. You can track that.”

“Why does he have your phone?” Molly asked, as Jo pulled out her laptop and began typing.

“We went for a walk and I got cold, so Henry lent me his jacket. I slipped my phone into the pocket. I forgot to take it back out when I gave him his jacket back so I could go change.” Abigail smiled briefly. “I may have been a little distracted.”

“Be glad you were,” Jo said. “I’ve got his location.”

“Where is he?”

“The desert, about 15 miles out of town. They’re still driving, but if we take this road--” she turned the screen so that Reece could see it and pointed to a small back road, “we should be able to catch up to them.”

Reece looked at the map for a moment and nodded. “Adam must have him and I can’t think of a single good reason why. We’ll catch up to them.”

With that, she put the car into drive and sped away from the warehouse.

The car was quiet for the next several minutes as they moved farther away from the city. Jo kept her face on the small dot that was Henry on the map, occasionally breaking the silence to update Reece on the route Adam was taking.

The roads were dark and quiet away from the city and it would have been beautiful if they weren’t racing to save their friend. While few details were known about Adam, they knew enough to know that he wouldn’t take kindly to Henry trying to steal the eggs, and he would be sure to have all sorts of ways of punishing Henry for that. Henry wouldn’t get out of this alive if they didn’t get there in time.

“They’re stopping,” Jo said, and both Molly and Abigail crowded forward to try and see the screen from their seats in the back.

“Just up ahead,” Jo murmured, after they had driven half a mile.

Reece nodded, and followed where Jo was pointing.

They pulled off the road a few moments later. The tail light of a car was just visible behind an outcropping of rock.

There would be no element of surprise here. Adam would be able to hear their car this close, so Reece quickly pulled the car around, until they could see Adam and his men. Henry was standing in front of Adam, his hands out in front of him. They couldn’t see his face, but Jo could imagine the look of terror that he was surely feeling now.

Reece slammed to a stop, and they all piled out of the car.

“Henry!”

Henry whirled around, but there was no relief on his features.

He turned back to Adam and they were all close enough that they could hear Adam’s words as he spoke to Henry.

“Henry, you really shouldn’t keep secrets.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Henry replied, his voice low and desperate.

“Oh, but Henry, I really do.”

Adam pulled out a gun faster than any of them could react and without hesitation, shot Henry once in the chest.

"Henry!"

Abigail's cry echoed the sound of the gunshot, both noises too loud against the dark stillness of the desert.

Adam and his men had run to their car, clambered inside and were already peeling away.

Abigail rushed to Henry, managing to catch him as he stumbled, and lowered them both to the ground. Her tears came fast, and her words came faster, the promises and pleas blurring together.

"Henry, please, no you can't leave, you'll be fine, we'll get help, you'll be fine."

She looked away from him and up at the others just long enough to beg them to go for help. They all stood still, none of them sure what to do. They all knew Henry would never make it back to town. They were too far out, and going after Adam wouldn’t do them any good now. Molly's eyes shined with tears, her hand pressed tightly against her mouth. Jo looked at Reece and felt the same shocked detachment that she could see there. This wasn't in the plan. And why should she have expected it? Henry always came through. Some days she wondered if he had nine lives.

"I'm so sorry," he finally managed to choke out but even that looked like too much and Jo couldn't look away from the red blossoming across the starch white of his dress shirt.

"Shh," Abigail soothed pulling him closer to her. "There's nothing to be sorry about, you'll be fine."

Abigail was shaking and Jo took a step forward, her hand hovering awkwardly a foot away from them, unsure of how to fix this or how to comfort her friend.

"I..." Henry trailed off before his head fell back and he was gone.

Jo looked away. She couldn't bear to see his still form or the way Abigail curled around him in her despair.

She met Molly's eyes, and saw that she was crying too, and felt tears of her own begin to well up.

Molly's eyes widened then and there was a bright flash of light just behind Jo.

"Shit." Molly gasped, her hands jerking out in surprise.

Jo whirled around. What could possibly....

"What the hell?"

Abigail's sobs had stopped and and she stared in shocked silence at her hands and arms, where Henry had just been.

"Where is he?" Reece demanded.

None of them had an answer for her, but none of them could look away from the spot where Henry used to be.

Just then Jo's phone rang, the shrill sound breaking through her shock.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and glanced at the screen before answering. It was Hanson.

"What?" She asked, her voice sharp. She couldn’t bring herself to feel guilty about it.

"I don't know what all the rest of your job entails, but did it really require a naked Henry Morgan?"

Jo's mouth dropped open and she couldn't say anything for a moment, barely registering Mike's muttered, "Yeah, I could have gone a long time without seeing that."

"Mike, what the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about having to haul Henry's naked ass out of the Bellagio fountain before the cops got to him. You know I love you, Jo, but I've got limits."

Jo closed her eyes, but all she saw was Henry bleeding out in Abigail’s arms. She opened them again quickly, shaking her head to rid her mind of the image.

"Stay there." She barked as she gestured for everyone to follow her back to the car. "We're on our way."

"What is it?" Reece asked once they're speeding across the desert.

Jo looked up at the rear view mirror and caught Abigail's eyes.

"Guess who Hanson just fished out of the fountains at the Bellagio?"

 

* * *

 

He was clothed again when they arrived--and Jo was grateful for that--the lines of his body stiff and straight. She had never seen him look this uncomfortable. He was usually unflappable, despite his old fashioned manner. He looked like all he wanted to do was run, and Jo wondered if they would have ever seen him again if Hanson hadn't gotten there first. Abe was there too, not looking at all shocked that Henry had been found naked in a hotel fountain. That was where Henry must have gotten the clothes, Jo realized, and she knew then that Abe must have known all along. It made sense, with how close they were.

"Henry?" Abigail asked as she stepped into the room, and her hand flew up to her mouth at the sight of him. Jo understood the feeling. Even with Hanson's phone call, she hadn't quite believed that he would be here, looking as healthy as he had that morning.

He stiffened at her voice and there was a war of emotions on his face, and Jo wasn’t sure he wouldn't just run, even with all of them standing there.

"I can explain," he began, but Jo knew the beginning of a lie when she saw one. "That wasn't--"

Abigail didn't let him finish and instead wrapped her arms around him, pulling him tight against her.

"Oh, my darling," she breathed into his ear, "You poor man."

They watched the tension drain from his body as he held her just as tightly, his eyes falling closed.

Jo's fear that he would run receded just a little. The terror that had been so clear on his face had vanished, replaced with relief. He didn't have to be afraid with them.

They pulled back from the embrace and Jo had to look away, the intimacy of the look that passed between them too private.

Hanson caught her eye and raised an eyebrow as if to ask just what he's missing.

She shook her head. She knew that this wasn't something Henry would want them to share, but even if she could, she wasn't sure she could find the words. Even in her head, it sounded unbelievable.

 

* * *

 

“Are you okay?” Jo asked as she passed by Molly on her way to grab another cup of coffee.

She asked the question, even as she knew there wasn’t a satisfactory answer. How do you react to something like that? Jo didn’t think she could have answered it herself, but this situation was completely outside anything remotely like a comfort zone, and it was the only thing she could think to ask.

Molly shook her head. The tears had stopped, but her eyes were still wet and she stared off past Jo to the blank wall behind her.

“No, I don’t…” she looked up finally at Jo and smiled, but the expression was empty, dazed. “I’m still processing, I think. This wasn’t how I expected tonight would end,” she said, the last word turning into a choked off and humorless laugh.

“This is certainly one I’ve never seen before,” Jo said with a half shrug and head shake gesture, one that demonstrated her complete inability to articulate just what the hell she was thinking right now.

“I’m glad, I mean, of course I am,” Molly began and Jo wasn’t sure if Molly was even really talking to her anymore, “but I never thought I’d been adding immortality to my worldview.”

“I’m surprised he told us at all,” Jo said, sitting down in the seat next to Molly. She didn’t really need that third cup of coffee. “He looked like he was a second away from bolting earlier.”

“I’m not,” Molly said, looking over to where Abigail and Henry sat together, their hands intertwined and their heads close as they talked.

“Opening up can be difficult even when you’re story is believable, and I agree if he hadn’t been forced into it, we never would have known. But now that we do…” she glanced back over at Henry and Abigail. “He needs people, and he has us and soon he’ll see that we’re not going anywhere.”

“Sometimes I forget you were really once a therapist.”

Molly shrugged, and smiled and it finally reached her eyes. “They don’t call me ‘Doctor’ for nothing.”

“Dr. Payne? People actually call you that?”

Molly raised an eyebrow and her grin turned dark. “Only some of my clients.”

Jo laughed. It had been one hell of a night, and she still couldn’t quite believe everything that had happened, but their little team was going to be okay.

Jo left Molly to her thoughts after they lapsed into silence, and walked over to Reece.

“I was going to be bitter towards Adam for being the one that got away, but now that I’ve seen him shoot Henry, please tell me we’re going after him again. I know the eggs are off the table, but there’s gotta be another job we can take.”

Reece looked at her, her smile sharp. “I’m sure I can dig up something.”

“We're going to get those eggs.”

Everyone looked over at Henry in surprise.

“Henry, it's over,” Reece said, sounding tired. “We're not getting them from Adam now.”

“You're right, we're not,” Henry said with a smug look. “Adam doesn't have them.”

“Henry, what are you talking about? He had the briefcase. We all saw it.”

“While it is true that Adam took a briefcase, and that there were decorative eggs inside, he doesn’t have the eggs. Those were the fakes.”

“The fakes are still in Reece’s room. They were there when we left to find you.” Jo said, sounding confused.

Henry smiled. “Abe and I brought backups just in case. Not good enough to pass any sort of real inspection, and not as good as the ones sitting in Reece’s hotel room, but they’d fool anyone at first glance.”

Everyone sat in stunned silence at this news.

“Then where are the real eggs?” Abe asked, finally and everyone looked at Henry intently.

“I made the switch before they took me out to the desert,” Henry said, in full lecture mode now. “I knew that Adam would be focused on me, and while the eggs were something he wouldn’t ignore when he figured out I was there to take them, by using classic misdirection, I was able to make the switch and hide the briefcase back at the warehouses.”

Jo was so happy at this, that she didn’t even feel the need to roll her eyes at how much Henry was enjoying this.

“I never want to be surprised like I was tonight again,” Reece said. The stern attitude was somewhat ruined by her small smile. “And running off on your own can’t happen again.”

“It wont,” Henry said with a slight shake of his head.

Her smile widened. “Let’s go get those eggs.”

Jo hung back as everyone moved to leave. She would get the rest of Henry’s story out of him eventually--once she stopped internally freaking out about watching him die and disappear right in front of her--and this wouldn’t be the last time they’d run into Adam, she was sure, but she wasn’t about to let that ruin the fact that the eggs were theirs, or that they had all made it through the job alive.

She looked at Molly and Reece, talking with Abe as they all walked toward the door, before her gaze moved to Henry and Abigail, hands intertwined and smiles soft and happy. Abe turned to include Henry and Abigail in their conversation and Jo couldn’t help her wide smile as she looked at her team--her family.

“Are you coming, Jo?” Henry asked, pulling her out of her reverie.

Jo nodded and walked over and joined them at the door. “Let’s go get those eggs.”

**Author's Note:**

> The painting in Molly's office is [Botticelli's _Fortune_](http://www.the-athenaeum.org/art/detail.php?ID=138936). 
> 
> Seven of the Fabergé eggs created for Nicholas II and Alexander III of Russia in the late Nineteenth/early Twentieth centuries were lost. The three featured in this story are [the Cherub with Chariot Egg](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/c5/93/73/c59373c244987f63b29145296e796c86.jpg) (also known as the Angel with Egg in Chariot), [the Mauve egg](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d5/51/34/d551343bca4617669bf0b2f05d5df993.jpg), and [the Royal Danish egg](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/18/50/b4/1850b419251a81a271a214f52715a795.jpg) (also known as the Danish Jubilee egg).
> 
> I also wrote [the scene](http://bearholdingashark.tumblr.com/post/140179834495/wip-fic-meme-pov) where Hanson finds Henry in the fountain from Hanson's POV, if anyone is interested. :D


End file.
